Music-roll for automatic musical instruments.



Patented Mar. 4, |902. P. wELlN.

MUSIC BULL FUR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

(Application med oct. a1, 1901.) Y .Ulu Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER WELIN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEODORE i P. BROWN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MUSIC-ROLL FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPEOTFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,450, dated March 4, 1902. application filed October 31, 1901. Serial No. 80,623. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, PETER WELIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts,'have invented a new and useful Music-Roll for Automatic 'Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a spool or roll for receiving the music-sheet ox strip of perforated paper employed for controlling a selfplaying musical instrument.

The especial object of this invention is to provide a form of spool or roll for perforated paper which maybe adjusted to Icompensate for the shrinking or swelling of the paper due to changes of the temperature or humidity of the atmosphere. Y

To these ends this invention consists of the music-spool and of the combinations of parts therein, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification. l

Inrthe accompanying drawing, Figure lis a side View of a music roll or spool constructed according to my invention, illustrating the manner in which the end of the music-sheet or strip of perforated paper is secu red; and Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the parts constituting a music roll or spool constructed according to my invention.

In the use of perforated paper for controlling automatic musical instruments considerable diflculty is experienced on account of -the shrinking and swelling of the paper due to changes in the temperature or humidity of the atmosphere. For example, during the spring and summer or in other times when considerable moisture prevails the music-roll or strip of perforated paper employed for controlling an automatic musical instrument will swell to an undesirable extent, and, on the other hand, during drier periods, especially during the winter-time, in steam-heated or furnace-heated dwellings the paper will shrink to an undesirable extent, so that the same will not iit properly between the spoolheads of the spool or roll on which the paper is wound and will be liable to wander and not be guided in thedesired path over the tracker-board.

The especial object of my presentin vention is therefore to provide a form of music spool or roll which can be adjusted or tightened to compensate for the swelling or shrinking of the paper due to atmospheric changes and by the use of whichl the paper will always be evenly wound or unwound and guided in the proper path when drawn over the trackerboard of an automaticmusical instrument. To accomplish this purpose, a music spool or roll constructed according to my present in- Vention preferablycom prises a spindle or rod having one spool-head rigidly secured thereto, a spool-head which is adjustably threaded onto the opposite end of the rod, andawooden core or body portion which turns with but is free' to move longitudinally upon the spoolspindle. The end of the music-sheet or strip of perforated paper is pasted or otherwisesecured to the wooden body portion. By means of this construction the spool-heads may be tightened to properly guide the paper while the same is being wound or unwound and, if desired, may be set up firmly against the ends' of the paper-roll to hold the same in shape,

when not in use.

. ReferringY to the accompanying drawing, and in detail, a music roll or spool constructed according to my invention as herein illustrated comprises a central metallic rod or wire 10, havingakeyed end 11. A spool-head 12 is rigidly secured on the metallic rod or wire 10. The opposite end of the wire or rod 10 is threaded, as at 13,and adj ustably screwed onto the threaded end of the rod or Wire 10 is an adjustable spool-head 14C. Fitting onto the rod or wire lO is a wooden core or body portion 15, which is slotted near its center to` receive a pin 16, which is driven through the lrod or wire 10. By means of this construction the wooden body portion 15 will be free to move longitudinally on the rod or wire 10, but will be keyed or fastened to turn therewith.

As shown in Fig. 1, P designates the musicsheet or strip of perforated paper, the inner vend of which is pasted, tacked, or otherwise secured to the wooden body portion, as indicated at p. By means of this construction the distance separating the spool-heads 12 and 14 may be adj usted to compensate for the shrinking or swelling of the music-sheet or strip of perforated paper P, so that the spool- IOO heads will serve to properly guide the paper as it is being wound or unwound, while, if desired, the spool-heads l2 and 14 may be set up rigidly into engagement with the roll of perforated paper when the same is not being used. In my construction, moreover, it is to be noted that one spool-head is secured rigidly upon the spindle or rod of the spool and that the clamping pressure when the adjustable spool-head is screwed up is transmitted to the fixed head by reason of the fact that the wooden core is free to move longitudinally upon the rod or spindle, and I regard this as a feature of importance in my music roll or spool, as by means of this construction the fixed spool-head will always remain in proper position to gage or guide the paperinto proper position with respect to the tracker-board, which would not necessarily be the case if both of the spool-heads were independently adjustable. y

I am aware that changes may be made in the construction of my spool or roll for the music-sheet or strip of perforated paper by those who are skilled in the art without departing from the scope of myinvention as expressed in the claims. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction I have herein shown and described; but

lVhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent ot' the United States, is-

l. In a spool for perforated paper, the coinhead secured thereto, a wooden roll or core turning with and free to movelongitudinally upon said spindle, and a second spool-head adj ustably secured on the opposite end ofthe rod or spindle.

2. Ina spool for perforated paper, the combination of a rod or spindle, a spool-head secured rigidly at one end thereof, a Wooden roll or core fitting onto the rod or spindle, and slotted to receive a pin, so that said wooden roll will turn with, and be free to move longitudinally upon the rod or spindle, and a spool-head adjustably threaded onto the opposite end of the spindle.

3. The combination of a rod or spindle, a Wooden roll turning with, and free to move 1ongitudinally upon said spindle, a music-sheet or strip of perforated paper having its end secured to the wooden roll, and spool-heads carried by said spindle, and adjustable with rcspect to each other to compensate for the shrinking or swelling of the paper.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER IVELIN.

Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, JOHN F. CRoWELL. 

